Published 22:32 IST, June 15th 2020
EXCLUSIVE: Fake recovery items shown by Pakistan; Hizbul guides crossed through Nepal
Items such as a student I-card were allegedly recovered by Pakistani authorities when alleged “Indian spies” were arrested. Most items turned out to be fake.
Fake student ID card, four Rs 20 notes, a mobile phone, and a sachet of Pantene shampoo — the items that were allegedly recovered by Pakistani authorities when alleged “Indian spies” were arrested. Most items turned out to be fake — a university that doesn’t exist, fake Indian currency. They were paraded before the local media and were forced to make a statement, which clearly appeared tutored. They claim they were given Rs.1 lakh in advance by Indian agencies to cross over and spy. What follows next is a classic web of lies that was first exposed by the Republic Media Network. Noor Md Wani and Firoz Ahmed Lone went missing in 2018 and crossed over in 2019. They were working as guides in Hizbul Mujahideen terror launchpads assisting terrorists to cross over.
Here are the exclusive images of the fake recovery items:
'It is a bizarre story'
In 2018, family members of Noor and Firoz filed a complaint with a grievance unit in the Jammu and Kashmir Governor’s office. Police records show that the Governor was informed that the police had carried out a thorough investigation by studying Feroze Lone’s cellphone records and had questioned several people who were in touch with him. In fact, sources say an unidentified woman came forward after the missing complaint was filed claiming to have killed Firoz. The woman was later released after no body was found.
Agency sources say, “It is a bizarre story that has been weaved by Pakistan. No agency will send people across with evidence that could be linked back to them. And we have never heard of a case where the family members of spies lodge a missing complaint.”
Speaking to local media, Firoz’s family members have rubbished Pakistan’s claim that they were spies. Firoz comes from a humble background with his 55-year-old father working as a casual labourer at the Block Development Office. With three sisters and two brothers, Firoz’s family finds it difficult to make ends meet. His family members say that if he was given Rs.1 lakh to cross over, he would have surely given some money to them before crossing over. If that was the case then they would have surely not been in the situation they are in right now. There are several other loopholes in the narrative peddled by the SSP of Gilgit Baltistan. He claims that the duo was arrested immediately after they crossed over. Police records show they went missing in 2018 and crossed over in 2019. But the SSP claims that they crossed over in 2020 — a claim far from the truth.
The cross over story
Noor Md Wani and Firoz were in touch with one Mushtaq Lone through Facebook. Investigation reveals that it was a fake ID that was being run by Pakistani agencies. Mushtaq lured Firoz and Noor to join the Hizbul ranks. They crossed over to Gilgit through Nepal. They reached Gilgit in January 2019. The duo was working in the Taobat region for Hizbul. They started working as guides helping terrorists infiltrate. Noor and Firoz were repeatedly caught by HM trying to escape from Gilgit and subsequently were exposed as “Indian spies”. This happened days after India exposed Pakistan espionage plot in the national capital and two ISI agents were arrested in Rajasthan.
Updated 22:32 IST, June 15th 2020